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Archived News: Covid-19 Government Support for Businesses
BUSINESS RESOURCES & UPDATES
FEDERAL:
Canada Employment Wage Subsidy
March 17, 2020: Canada’s Six Biggest Banks Take Decisive Action to Help Customers Impacted by COVID-19
Canada United Small Business Relief Fund
Open A $5,000 grant to purchase personal protective equipment (PPE), renovate, develop a website or enhance E-commerce capability
RRRF (Regional Relief and Recovery Funds)
Open Help for businesses unable to access other support measures. Apply through your Regional Development Agency
CEBA (Canada Emergency Business Account)
Open Interest-free loans for small businesses and not-for-profits
PROVINCIAL:
February 16, 2021: Ontario Expands Eligibility for Main Street Relief Grant
February 05, 2021: Applications Open for Ontario's New Skills Development Fund
January 27, 2021: Ontario Extends Off-Peak Electricity Rates to Provide Relief for Families, Small Businesses and Farms
November 16, 2020: Applications Now Open for Ontario's COVID-19 Relief Funding for Your Business (Main Street Relief Grant for Personal protective equipment (PPE), Property Tax and Energy Cost Rebate Grants)
November 10, 2020: Ontario's Action Plan: Protect, Support, Recover Promotes Job Creation by Reducing Taxes on Employers
Workplace Safety and Insurance Board Operational Review Report
November 03, 2020: Ontario's Property Tax and Energy Cost Rebates Program (Application forms will be available starting on November 16, 2020.)
Businesses: Get help with COVID-19 Costs (PPE Support, Property Tax and Energy Bill Rebates, Ontario Small Business Support Grant)
Ontario's Action Plan: Business Relief Overview
Interest and Penalty Relief for Businesses Tax Bulletin
Temporary Pandemic Pay (Support for eligible frontline and support workers)
The Government of Ontario announced additional support for frontline workers fighting COVID-19 by providing a temporary pandemic pay of $4/hour worked on top of their regular wages. In addition, the government will be providing monthly lump sum payments of $250 for four months to eligible frontline workers who work over 100 hours per month. The pandemic pay will be effective for 16 weeks, from April 24, 2020 until August 13, 2020. Read more by clicking the link above.
Interest and Penalty Relief for Businesses Tax Bulletin
INFECTIOUS DISEASE EMERGENCY LEAVE:
June 01, 2020: Ontario Extending Infectious Disease Emergency Leave for Workers during COVID-19
2020 ONTARIO BUDGET:
Ontario's Action Plan: Business Relief Overview
ONTARIO'S GRANTS AVAILABLE FOR BUSINESSES:
- Ontario Tourism and Travel Small Business Support Grant - deadline July 9, 2021 at 11:59 p.m. EDT
- Property Tax and Energy Cost Rebate Grants
- Ontario Ministry of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Grant Programs
January 15, 2021: Applications Now Open for Ontario's Small Business Support Grant
Ontario Small Business Support Grant
For small businesses not in operation in April 2019 or April 2020, eligibility criteria will be announced in January 2021.
November 20, 2020: Additional Supports Available for Businesses Affected by COVID-19 Public Health Measures - Province Doubling Financial Support for Businesses Affected by Additional Restrictions
Businesses can apply online for temporary property tax and energy cost rebate grants from the province, via an easy-to-use one-window portal. The rebates will cover the length of time that a business is required to temporarily close or significantly restrict services as a result of being located in an area categorized as Red-Control or Lockdown, or previously categorized as modified Stage 2 public health restrictions. Most businesses can expect to receive their rebate payments within a few weeks of submitting a complete application.
A detailed list of eligible businesses, as well as instructions for applying, can be found at Ontario.ca/covidsupport.
- - Termination & Severance Protection Extended to Jan 2, 2021
- - O. Reg. 228/20 under the Employment Standards Act, 2000 to extend protection from temporary layoffs
December 18, 2020: Ontario Supports Employers and Employees Impacted by COVID-19
To help reduce the financial burden of the COVID-19 pandemic on Ontario businesses, we provided the opportunity to defer premiums due between March to August 2020.
All businesses that chose to participate in the financial relief package will have until June 30, 2021 to repay deferred amounts, interest-free. Deferred amount payments can be made in one or multiple installments between January and June 30, 2021.
Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy
Businesses that qualify for the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy program (CEWS) who are receiving a subsidy used to pay employees who are on leave and not working, do not need to report the earnings received through the subsidy for those employees. Businesses are able to retroactively adjust insurable earnings reported from March 15, 2020 onwards.
Please complete the CEWS exemption worksheet to confirm if your business has been approved for the subsidy and to submit any required adjustments to your account if the exemption criteria has been met. The worksheet will also help you stay organized with what earnings you are deducting from WSIB premiums moving forward.
Completed forms or any questions you may have about CEWS and how to report your premiums, can be sent to employeraccounts@wsib.on.ca.
More information, including an FAQ's section is available in the WSIB Financial Relief webpage here.
Workplace Safety and Insurance Board Operational Review Report
SUPPORT FOR WORKERS:
ONTARIO'S NEW SKILLS DEVELOPMENT FUND
February 05, 2021: Applications Open for Ontario's New Skills Development Fund
Additional Resources:
HAC's Federal COVID-19 Business Support Programs Guide (Dec 2020)